Rapid transit system



June 6, 1939. STRAUSS 2,161,105

RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM Filed March 23, 195+ 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 E a m ...J

:2 s T m 4 m y a Q -0- m N (D v a: co L f, q '1 I a:

U Uri? E Q U 2 6 [:1 W as? c0 ZZZ :2; 3" w 1 1 5E? T q I INVENTORZ 8JOSEPH B. STRAUSS ATTORNEY Julie 1939- J. B. STRAUSS RAPID TRANSITSYSTEM Filed March 23, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 INVENTOR: JOSEPH B.STRAUSS ATTORNEY.

June 1939- J. B. STRAUSS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledMarch 23, 1937 F I (5v 4.

F I G 5.

0 a o o 0 2 \2 o o o o INVENTOR: JOSEPH B. STRAUSS ATTORNEY PatentedJune 6, 1939 PATENT OFFlCE RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM Joseph nette ceased B.Strauss, San Francisco, Calif.; An- Strauss, John Sparks, and HenryClausen, executors of said Joseph B.

Strauss, de-

Application March 23, 1937, Serial No. 132,509

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in rapid transit systems and moreparticularly to the construction and arrangement of overhead trafficmeans with respect to city streets.

The growth of modern cities, necessitating the development of suburbanresidential sections, taxes transportation facilities to the point wheresurface congestion at peak periods slows up distribution to anintolerable extent.

Subsurface transportation presents engineering and economic problemsthat do not justify the financial outlay and the physical disturbancesincidental to construction of subways in congested'dis-tricts. Elevatedrailways'have heretofore been noisy, unsightly and incidentally haveencroached upon the very street traffic that they are supposed torelieve.

It is an object of the present invention to increase the trafficcapacity of a city street without the many disadvantages set forthabove.

Another object is to increase rather than to depreciate the value ofadjacent property by installing the present system.

Another object is to facilitate pedestrian as well as vehicular trafficin congested districts.

Another object is to so construct and locate the overhead trafficsystem, that it may be installed with minimum interference with existingconditions.

Another object is to provide for railway and motor bus traffic on acommon right-of-way.

Another object is to provide for overhead pedestrian traflic between theelevated right-of- Way and the second stories of adjacent property,giving added street frontage value to such property.

Another object is to increase the available street area and to increasethe speed of surface vehicular traffic by reducing the number ofpedestrians on the lower level.

Another object is to reduce the probable accident ratio in city trafficof all forms, by reducing congestion and facilitating distribution 4during peak periods.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description progresses.

In this specification and the accompanying drawings the invention isdisclosed in its preferred form. But it is to be understood that it 0 isnot limited to this form because it may be embodied in other formswithin the purview of the claim following the description.

In the three sheets of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse section of a conventional city street havingelevated traffic means applied thereto in accordance with thisinvention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectionof the same, taken on the line IIII,Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail in cross section of the upper portion of the elevatedright-of-way, taken on the line III-III, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 5 is longitudinal section of the same taken on the line VV in Fig.3.

In detail the construction illustrated-in Fig. 1 comprises theconventional street pavement i, extending between the curbs 2 and 3, andthe usual sidewalks 4 and 5 extending to the building facades 6.

Thejsupporting standards'88 are erected at the curb lines, with theproper set back, and have the sub-pavement footing 9, prefer-ably ofreinforced concrete adapted to combine with and form an integral part ofthe base structure ill of the street pavement to give mass stability tothe overhead structure. These standards may be reinforced concrete orbuilt up'of architectural steel shapessuch as the four v'ertical platesII, l2, I3 and joined at the corners by riveted angles as shown in Fig.3.

These standards have the T shape heads comprising interspaced platessuch as [5 riveted to the overlying plates [3, I4 and encircled by theplates l6, ll joined to the head plates by riveted angles in accordancewith prevailing practice. These heads are provided with the gaps l8 andI9 to receive the superstructure.

The elevated trafiic lane comprises two plate girders and 2|, see Fig.3, extending the length of the elevated system. These girders are greatenough in depth and cross section to bridge the distances between thesupporting standard 8 and carry the traffio loads when properly braced.Intermediate the height of the girders the traction deck is interposedforming a structure substantially H shaped in cross section. Itcomprises the transverse grid bars 22 having the bent ends 23, 24,riveted at 25, 26 to their respective girders. These ends are preferablybent in opposite directions to prevent the bars turning for greatervertical stability, see Fig. 4. The angle stringers 21, 28 are rivetedto the girders to reinforce' the support of the ends 23, 24. The upperand lower edges of the girders are reinforced with the angles and plates29, 30 and 3|, 32 to prevent buckling of these edges.

The traction plates 33, 34 are laid upon the grid bars 22 and aresurmounted by the railway rails 35; 36 respectively, throughout thelength of the girders. These traction plates and rails are held inassembly with the grid bars by the yokes 31, 38 see Fig. 3 looped atintervals beneath the bars and passing through the traction plates andrail bases, where they are drawn taut by the nuts 39, 39 on theiropposite ends. The combination of elements assembled with the plategirders, form a superstructure substantially H shape in cross section,all mutually cooperating to meet the line of applied load. This isfurther strengthened by the manner of supporting the superstructure. Thelower edges of the H rest within the gaps l8 and I9 formed in the topsof the heads of the standards 8, which in conjunction with the grid bars22 permits easy seating of the girders and prevents spreading.

As a contribution to architectural refinement the T head of thestandards may be enclosed with sheet metal caps such as 38' to hide therugged structures beneath.

The grid bars 22 supporting the traction deck permit the penetration oflight therebetween, also provide for proper drainage for rain water andsnow. This is further provided for by the perforations 40 through thetraction plates 33, 34, see Fig. 4. These perforations provide improvedtraction for resilient tires such as 4|. The extension of the girdersabove the trafiic deck acts as guard rails to keep a disabled orderailed vehicle from plunging into the street below. Besides thesimplicity and strength of the solid plate girders 20, 2| they also actto prevent the diffusion of incidental traffic sounds, especially towardthe adjacent property frontage.

The rails 35, 36 provide traction for conventional flanged wheel trafiicvehicles such as trains with rubber mounted rolling stock operated withminimum noise for interurban express service to downtown stations.

Fig. schematically illustrates a four wheel pneumatic tired supportingtruck of a motor bus having the flanged guide wheels 43 mounted upon thebolster thereof. The interposed spring 42 on each side insures theproper downward pres sure of the wheels on the guide rails 35, 36. Thesewheels insure the proper alinement of all pneumatic tires 4| with thetraction plates 33, 34 for obvious reasons. These rails 35, 36 are thusthe conjunctive element in adapting the overhead structure to combinedrailway and motor bus vehicles; converting the motor bus into a railwaycoach while operating thereon during which the driver has no independentdirectional control. When the motor bus leaves the elevated Way atselected points the guide wheels remain elevated above the tractionsurface of the tires 4|. This is accomplished by inclining the tractionplates 33, 34 up to the level of the rails 35, 36 to lift the guidewheel free of the rails, restoring the motor bus to control by itsindependent steering gear.

Pedestrian trafilc is provided for by the elevated pedestrian walks 44supported by the inner girder 2B and extending to the adjacent buildingfacades 6 at the second story level; these walks are at the approximatelevel of the top of the girder to facilitate access to the vehicle floorlevels without cutting through the girders. By this arrangement thewaiting rooms can be within the ad- J'acent buildings, with advantagesto property owners and travelers.

Expansion joints as at 46, 41 are provided at proper points, see Fig. 2,to permit elongation and contraction of the integral structure of thegirders 29, 2| due to temperature variations.

Having thus described this invention what is claimed and desired tosecure by Letters Patent is:

A traflic structure comprising a pair of vertical plate girders;interspaced transverse bars having their opposite ends fixed to thesides of said girders respectively, and forming a deck above thevertical centers of said girders; a pair of traction plates arranged onsaid deck adjacent said girders; railway rails mounted on the transversecenter portions of said plates respectively; and I.

rail-anchoring means comprising yokes looped under said barsand havingtheir opposite ends extending through said traction plates and engagingthe bases of said rails respectively.

JOSEPH B. STRAUSS.

